Diana has over 30 years of lived experience with mental health issues and trauma. Her journey began in childhood when she was first introduced to peer support during time spent at the Hospital for Sick Children. The desire to advocate and use her experience to support others was sparked there. Diana has been involved in peer support for over 25 years with organizations like The Hospital for Sick Children, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, SickNotWeak, and in her current role as a Peer Mentor for one-Link.
Her education has provided her with certifications in WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Level 1, WRAP Level 2 Facilitator Training, safeTALK, ASIST, Suicide2Hope, CAMH Opioid Problems, Treatment Solutions, and CAMH’s Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project. She was also involved in the content development for the CoHealth app for mental health at Halton Healthcare.
Her time as Director of Operations at SickNotWeak provided her with opportunities to participate in the organization and execution of several community events to promote mental health awareness, including the first March for Mental Health in 2017.
As part of her self-care, Diana can often be found with her nose in a book, at the movies, music venues, and other pop culture events. Her family and fur-babies help support her journey in maintaining wellness and hope – not only for herself, but for others. Diana believes that the collective feedback from those who have lived through these experiences is fundamental in the creation of change and future policy development in mental health and addictions. She is passionate about amplifying the experiences of those she encounters as she firmly believes in “nothing about us, without us”.